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Ed Murphy
Captain Ed Murphy is the secondary head of the Los Angeles Police Department. A very busy man, his best, although destructive, cops on the force are Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh. Biography Ed Murphy is Captain (not Chief) of the Los Angeles Police Department, notably the detective bureau. As Captain, he takes his job very seriously and does not enjoy owing the city money from damage caused by his notable men Riggs and Murtaugh. In the third film, when both cops take it too far with causing an explosion at the ICSI Building while trying to dismantle a bomb and not even waiting for the bomb squad, he demoted them to patrolmen as punishment so they can cause minimal harm to the city. He later reinstates them as Sergeants, when they both prove to their boss they can focus on the job more seriously than he thinks after they've busted Billy and Smitty pulling a heist from a bank by impersonating armored car drivers. In the fourth film, with the department losing its insurance carrier on city property, he is unable to have Riggs and Murtaugh fired since they are the best cops he has, since they're veteran officers and firing them isn't really an option for him and the department. Instead, he promotes them both to Captain, something he has done to assure the other detectives can follow their lead when they bust a Chinese smuggling ring. Despite their troubles, Murphy considers them his good friends and is even welcomed into the family of Roger Murtaugh when he brings them and Riggs gifts for the babies when they're born. He gives them back their old positions as Sergeant, stating the city has been self-insure, and that the Hongs are going to be granted asylum. Lethal Weapon We first see Captain Murphy talking to Dr. Stephanie Woods in the hallway of the police station. They bring up the subject of Martin Riggs' suicidal issues, which Woods believes is taking control over his actions he commits while on the job. However, Murphy assures her Riggs will be fine and he still counts on him doing his job. But Woods ignores his statement and keeps complaining about it when Murphy needed to use the bathroom as he said "excuse me", then pointed to the men's restroom sign. He was later seen passing by Roger Murtaugh and commented how he looked better and younger with the beard he had and shaven it off. Murtaugh sarcastically replied "Thanks, Captain". Lethal Weapon 2 Murphy is very upset with Murtaugh, Riggs, and the other detectives for letting the suspect get away the previous night. He is even more frustrated when he hears Murtaugh's story that a helicopter came from nowhere and a gunman began shooting in general directions. The next day after Murtaugh's attack at night, in his office, he assigns both Riggs and Murtaugh an assignment to protect a federal witness named Leo Getz. They immediately become disappointed and call the case a "shit assignment." Murphy tells them otherwise he doesn't "give a fuck" and they should be considerate he is giving them a chance. In addition, he shows Riggs his "No Smoking" sign since he had a cigarette in his mouth during the whole conversation. But Riggs says he knew about it and sees the same rule on the glass wall to his right and tells Murphy the same thing he told them. Later, after Riggs, Murtaugh, and the other detectives attempt to arrest Arjen Rudd, Pieter Vordstedt, and their men, and were unable to, he tells Riggs and Murtaugh he'll have to make a formal apology to the South African Consulate, stating that Rudd is a diplomat and beyond the law, and therefore couldn't be arrested, tried, convicted, or prosecuted. A couple of days later, he hears of the murders on Wyler, Shapiro, Friesen, Collins, Cavanaugh, and Moss, he tries to get a hold of Riggs, but he is unable to. He isn't seen for the rest of the film, as Riggs and Murtaugh go after the diplomats and their cartel on the Alba Varden ship, while Leo goes to the station in Roger's car and waits for the federal marshal to show up. Lethal Weapon 3 Captain Murphy is in his office with the Head of Internal Affairs Herman Walters. He tells his currently demoted patrolmen Riggs and Murtaugh he, too, just found out the news about the armor-piercing bullets (or cop killer) case being transferred to Internal Affairs. The next day, he reinstates Riggs and Murtaugh to their positions for their valiant effort in catching Billy and Smitty, foiling their attempted robbery. While watching the security footage of the man who killed Billy Phelps in the interrogation room, Murphy gets upset because he was covering up from the view of the camera when he knew it was there. Luckily, Cole had a tape recording of the suspect in the interrogation room Billy was killed in which internal affairs installed 6 months ago, something Murphy comments he never knew about until now. With this tape, he discovers the killer is former LAPD cop Lieutenant Jack Edward Travis. He tells Riggs and Murtaugh Travis and his partner were on a stakeout once before, and that he left for a cup of coffee, but he never came back. Exiting the police station, Murphy and Walters discuss their differences in the department so they do not pity each other as Murphy heads to his Chevrolet Caprice squad car when he sees a man leaning down next to his. Thinking he might be hurt, he checks to see if he is alright, but it is a trick when Jack Travis turns and faces Murphy, putting his gun on him. Murphy surrenders his weapon to him and Travis tells him to drive to the underground subway compound as his henchmen join him. Upon arrival, Murphy is told by Travis about his special operation in the subway and that good cops do not have futures, where Murphy butts in to him that he used to be one of the department's cops. He reluctantly watches Travis shoot one of his cops and Murphy is handcuffed and taken downstairs to be held captive. One of Travis' men handles Murphy and brings him to an incomplete section of the currently under construction subway system. When Riggs, Murtaugh, Cole, and Edwards start a shootout in the subway, the henchman Hatchett brings Murphy onto the rails and they both plummet upon landing from jumping. Murphy pushes the henchman with his leg into an electrical circuit on the railing, thus electrocuting him to death. While Riggs chases Travis, Murtaugh and Cole (Edwards got killed in the gunfire) help Murphy out of the low rails in the subway and Murtaugh subsequently borrows his Captain's car to locate Riggs. Lethal Weapon 4 Captain Murphy calls his detectives into his office. He tells them how they are like dinosaurs headed for extinction, and the department is looking for new cops with guns and psychology degrees like Sgt. Lee Butters. This is due to the destruction Team Riggs/Murtaugh caused over the years in the department with the latter losing its insurance carrier. However, since Murphy and the department can't fire them, he says they're promoting them both to the rank of Captain. It comes as a surprise for both Riggs and Murtaugh (who initially expected Lieutenant positions). Later, Murphy pays a visit to the hospital to see Rianne and Lorna's new born babies and brings them gifts. He then gives his two men back their old positions of Sergeant once again after telling them the city has been self-insured. He tells Murtaugh that the Hongs are being granted asylum. He poses for a photo with the Murtaughs and Riggs, Lorna, Leo, and Butters, and the babies, being accepted as family. Behind the scenes The actor who played Captain Ed Murphy, Steve Kahan is related to Richard Donner, who is the director of the Lethal Weapon film series. Steve Kahan's first movie he film in that was in 1978 Donner was directing was Superman, ''where Kahan credited as Armis. Gallery ''To view the '''Ed Murphy' gallery, click here.'' Category:Characters Category:Males Category:Americans